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Why is "Metal" constantly being bashed by "real" musicians?

#41
I have never once seen a funk enthusiast ask "What's with all the hate toward funk?" or jazz guy say "why don't more folks like jazz"...

There's something strange about the insecurity inherent with some metal players that I don't understand. If you like what you do, who *cares* what other folks think. I, myself, do not play metal and really couldn't give a hoot what anyone thinks. Why do you?
 
#45
BigOldHarry said:
I have never once seen a funk enthusiast ask "What's with all the hate toward funk?" or jazz guy say "why don't more folks like jazz"...

There's something strange about the insecurity inherent with some metal players that I don't understand. If you like what you do, who *cares* what other folks think. I, myself, do not play metal and really couldn't give a hoot what anyone thinks. Why do you?
Click to expand...

Funk and jazz bassists seem to be the majority here, why would they need to?
 
#46
BigOldHarry said:
I have never once seen a funk enthusiast ask "What's with all the hate toward funk?" or jazz guy say "why don't more folks like jazz"...

There's something strange about the insecurity inherent with some metal players that I don't understand. If you like what you do, who *cares* what other folks think. I, myself, do not play metal and really couldn't give a hoot what anyone thinks. Why do you?
Click to expand...

10-4, Harry..... I totally agree.

If You like something enough, You dont need someones blessing or approval to keep liking it.
I chose to follow these words of wisdom, "F*ck'em if They can't take a joke".
 
#47
My favorite style of music is metal music. I have gotten some comments from people who don't like metal, and some rude comments from a couple jazz musicians, but thats just a couple of dudes, doesnt represent the whole GENRE!

That being said I see alot of people mention "screaming" music, or metal is music without importance on being "musical", or mention Metallica and Slayer. So here is a list of bands that have more "musical" qualities and does not have screaming vocals that the non metal-ers may enjoy.

Angra, Masterplan, Avantasia, Symphony X, Primal Fear, Kamelot, Nocturnal Rites, Dragonland, Pagan's Mind, Sonata Arctica, Edguy, Helloween, Gamma Ray, Almah, Shaman, Andre Matos, Stratovarius, Rhapsody of Fire, Labyrinth, Vision Divine, Ride the Sky, Mob Rules, Riot, and ALOT of other bands.
 
#48
Different strokes and all that. I personally think Taylor Swift is a no talent hack but there are millions that disagree and that is the beauty of it all. Now having said that if more metal acts would push foward into the unknown and grow musically and with their songwriting skills as opposed to rehashing the same old crap these opinions would stay mostly the same but with less verocity. I played metal for 20 years and this was always my main complaint. And like Harry said who really cares what others find appealing. That's what metal is all about anyway, giving the finger to those that don't like it!!!!!!!!
 
#49
RANT ALERT!!!:eek:


Rocky McDougall said:
I think Rockmusician covered it quite well. When you can't distinguish one player from the others, how can you judge their musicianship. When you can't understand a word that a screaming vocalist sings, why have lyrics? The object of the band is to excite the audience and throw them into a frenzy.
I know some love it. Personally, I think it is pointless. As much as I hate Rap, at least I can hear some music hidden there somewhere.
Rocky
Click to expand...

Way off...:rollno:

You need to use you ears man, and get to know the genre for crying out loud. It goes for all music, some of it is just not meant to be easily accessible. On the surface jazz can seem utterly pointless musically, baroque might seem like endless fortspinnung and boy does eurodance seem bereft of a groove. But all music must be judged on its own terms, otherwise you are just bashing what you obviously don't get. I'm sorry, I don't like sounding rude but your opinion really doesn't count until you've acquired a basic understanding of the genre.

If it doesn't appeal to you then all is well and good. Someone mentioned earlier the possibility of ignoring the music completely. Fine. But don't try to argue that it's pointless, at least not on a serious musicians forum.

I can't stand the "chopper" kick drums either, it drains dynamics, but that is really not a defining characteristic of metal. As for growling, I might agree with you some of the way but have you seen a death metal band live? Many of the growling vocalists rival the most aggressive rappers in charisma and stage presence. This is an important part of the live experience in one of the few genres that puts equal value in recorded and performed music. Sure, some metal is ridiculous, in fact I think most of it is, but that is just a result of an enthusiastic fanbase that joins in the fun by playing music. Heaps of poor stuff comes from that, but that doesn't make the good stuff worse.

I think that the stagnation of innovation in the amateur scene is part of the reason a lot of people in my circles have lost interest. But metal is still filled with great oldies like Sabbath and amazing newcomers like Gojira who take music making to a new level.

Rant over, sorry guys... I would take Tower of Power over Mastodon any day, but the day I stop listening to Opeth is the day I stop listening to music altogether.
 
#51
I like metal but I dont understand the bands that claim being different than others just because they invent a new metal genre name: speed metal, black metal, celtic metal, hardcore metal, thrash metal, death metal, brutal metal , gore metal, sado metal.... then there are some bands that say they play: speed death brutal hardcore black gotic celtic son of a gun metal...
 
#53
Metal's like nearly every other genre. Some stinks to high heaven and some is great. I'm an old (54) coot and still like the proggier end of metal and was a big Type O Negative fan back when. I also liked some of the Scandinavian bands in the Burzum mold, especially the instrumental stuff, which I found really interesting. Hell, I love Dethklok. A dear, now departed, friend of mine who ran a record store (and was also a well known metal guitarist - who also loved classical music!!) turned me on to many bands I didn't think I would like.

The more generic rillyloud-rillyfast-doublekickeverything-growler stuff gets old awfully quickly to my ears, but even I know that doesn't represent all of metal.
 
#56
The reason I started this thread was because of the replies that another "non metal" TBer got when asking for advise on doing studio work for a metal band. I was amazed by how many people said to not do it, or other mindless advise. I loved the advise from "metal" bassists he did get. It was also very early when I wrote this and yet had my coffee. I didn't mean to "Attack" cover bands. We even throw in a metal cover into our set from time to time.
 
#57
I will chime in with my $.02
I've done Rock, Country, Pop and Jazz Tours. One thing that I noticed is that there's a code of mutual respect among musicians and tour support personnel regardless of genre.
Case in point: I was playing with Joanna Dean, a Hard Rock singer signed to Polygram in the Hair Metal era of the late 80s when I ran into Jazz Guitarist Joe Pass in Copenhagen. Joe was playing at Tivoli Gardens with Charlie Mariano. I half apologetically explained to Joe that I loved his work but I was over here with a Metal Band and he stopped me right there, "Don't apologize! You've got a gig! Good for you!"
More often than not a good bassist or guitarist at that level can play many, many styles well. I've never run into a touring Pro Rocker who dogged another Touring Pro Musician, regardless of style. When I was out with John (Dukes of Hazzard) Schneider we ended up staying at the same hotel as Bon Jovi and they gave us VIP passes to their show that night and pretty much the Royal Treatment (this was in 1987, the Slippery When Wet era).
When I was out with Engelbert Humperdinck we stayed and played at The Foxwoods Casino when the Yellowjackets were playing at the B B Kings club there. I ended up hanging out with Jimmy Haslip, Russ Ferrante and Bobby Mintzer and they were totally nice and didn't dog me for my gig. Jimmy, of course, was touring with the Great Rock Guitarist Tommy Bolin when he died.
I think it's a bit like Fans of NFL Teams. I live in Nashville and we hate the Baltimore Ravens. I know the players talk some smack but when the late Steve McNair was traded to them, I'm sure they welcomed him into their organization and he still kept all of his Titans buddies. A lot of this smashing other genres and trash-talking is more the province of "Fans" of bass and music styles rather than Pro Players. Nothing wrong with that-it's called Talkbass and there's no entrance exam to post. You just have to love bass.
I absolutely love Jaco and Jeff Berlin. I also absolutely love Billy Sheehan, Lemmy and the late Wally Voss (Yngwie's bassist and an absolute unsung Bass Hero) was a dear, dear friend. I try to listen to Music and not Categories.
I've got a recording session tomorrow in Chicago. It's Fusion. Chris Poland (Megadeath and O.H.M.) is overdubbing the guitar solos in LA. I don't care what style he calls himself-I just call him a Bad**s Guitarist and I'm honored we're on the same track!
 
#58
It's a genre of music, taste is subjective. You can point out a heap of bands of any given genre that are genius, not groundbreaking but good or completely crap. People like their clubs man, if you don't like something you're going to hammer on the attributes you don't like. I'm sure plenty of people could go on about hack cheesy blues and funk bands, boring self indulgent jazz groups, shallow over produced pop acts or any other the genre and their respective cliche dreck as much as the "overly dark, meathead" metal stereotype. Extremity in music is completely relative and subjective. You could pick out a band most people today find completely banal, office radio material and someone's grandmother is going to think it sounds like the devil's belch. Normally I would get to this point in the post, re-read, mutter "**** it, who cares?" to myself and hit the back button on my browser, but there it is. Well worn discussion, but it applies to pretty much everything in life. People like what they like and they're totally willing to sum up what they don't like its worst stereotype. Some people are willing to just like different things and agree to disagree, either way it's not really worth getting agitated over, I think.
 
#60
There's some incredible musicianship in metal (a personal fave of mine is Brann Dailor, drummer for Mastodon. An INCREDIBLE drummer). But it gets buried in the mass of 'hit the guitar/bass/drums as loud as possible to make as much noise as possible' style of metal which is all too common.
 

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